Unexpected Comfort
by Jessi - Princess of Impatience
Summary: A life altering event causes Hermione to stand up to a man she once feared before seeking refuge in the most unlikely place. WIP.H, Ch3 up 7.20.05, canon compliant through OotP.
1. She Makes a Stand

_A/N: I had part of this story as a dream/nightmare one night and when I woke up, I couldn't get it out of my head. I finally relented and wrote it, although the subject matter is much darker than any I have ever written before. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from Harry Potter. The whole Potterverse belongs to the genius of J.K. Rowling, who is a goddess amongst writers. I seek to make no profit from this venture and I promise to return everything back the way I found it. _

This fic is only canon compliant to Book Five.

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Unexpected Comfort  
Story by Jessica Arbuckle (Jessi, Princess of Impatience)  
July 3rd - undetermined, 2005 

**Chapter One, She Makes a Stand…**

Hermione awoke to the sound of crying in her room and without opening her eyes, she moved out of the bed towards the crib. A sound nearby brought her fully awake, eyes wide open with a hand inches from her wand. A dark form was crouched over the crib and as Hermione recognized him, her heart stopped. While she could not see what he was doing, she knew, with an ever-growing fear, what was happening. He had never before attempted it and if she had her way, he would never again get the chance.

She quickly drew her wand from the pocket she had sewn into the shirts she wore to bed and yelled, "Stop it, Uncle Geoff, or you will be sorry!" She pointed it for a brief moment at the small video camera next to her bed, just as she did every time he entered her room. As soon as she had, she quickly trained it on him.

The man's hands stilled as he turned to her. Upon seeing the wand, he drew back from the crib and away from her, but his eyes burned angrily and there was an evil scowl on his dark features.

"You dare tell me what to do, you little tart?" he asked menacingly.

Hermione's eyes narrowed and she took a few steps forward, sinfully pleased when he took an equal number of steps backwards.

"Yes, in fact, I do, you pathetic creep. I warned you before, if you ever touched him, I would twist your body into unimaginable shapes from the horrible pain," she threatened, waving her wand ever so slightly. She wasn't sure she'd ever be able to perform that particular curse, especially on a Muggle, but the threat and her wand wave was enough to make the man blanch.

"I've a free right to do exactly as I please. I'm sick of you and your threats and your interference in my affairs," he said. His hand snaked quickly into the pocket of his coat and withdrew a small object and only when she heard the audible click did she realize her uncle was pointing a gun at her. Without thinking, Hermione yelled, "Petrificus Totalus!"

As his arms and legs snapped together, she pointed at the gun that had become airborne and yelled, "Wingardium Leviosa," controlling its decent to the floor. She then grabbed a t-shirt from the stack on laundry on her chair and used it to gather up and wrap the gun. She then walked to the crib and looked inside, where her baby brother lay naked, except for a partially unfastened diaper, still crying his heart out.

"Oh Matty, it will all be fine now," she said softly, stroking his brown curls. She reached for a diaper, a sleeper and a blanket and quickly dressed and bundled him up and then picked him up out of the crib, making soft shushing sounds as he cried.

"We are going to go someplace safe," she cooed to him as she glanced to the floor. She could see her uncle's terrified eyes, the only part of him still able to move, flicking rapidly around. She walked to stand beside him and looked down.

"We are leaving and never coming back. Don't try and find us," she said in a quiet, deadly voice and then turned her back on him. She shifted Matty to one arm and quickly shoved various items from drawers and shelves into his diaper bag. She picked up the bag and went to the wrapped gun, which she stuffed inside as well and then walked to her bed stand and grabbed the video camera. She quickly rewound the tape and placed it on top of the contents of the bag, zipping it shut.

She looked down at her clothes. The shorts and t-shirt she had worn to bed would have to do for now, she wasn't about to stay in this house one moment longer to change or even to pack for herself. She could get what she needed another time.

For now, she had only one thought, of the one group of people she knew she could trust without hesitation.

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Severus Snape was sitting in an armchair in his office when the flames in the fireplace rose and glowed green as a head appeared.

"Severus, would you go down to the gate for me? I believe we are to have visitors," said the face of Albus Dumbledore.

Severus sighed and spoke with a resigned voice. "Yes, Headmaster." The head disappeared and the flames settled back down to their normal color and size.

He rose from his chair, wondering why he was being sent to the gate. It wasn't as if anyone in their right mind would consider him a welcoming presence. But when the headmaster asked, it really wasn't asking so much as telling.

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_a/n: I know it is just a short little bit of a chapter (they will get longer), please R/R, I would just adore it!_


	2. Safe At Last

_A/N: Ok, so this one is a bit short too, but the next isn't, so I'll upload it to make up for the shortness of the first two! _

_Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from Harry Potter. The whole Potterverse belongs to the genius of J.K. Rowling, who is a goddess amongst writers. I seek to make no profit from this venture and I promise to return everything back the way I found it._

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Unexpected Comfort  
Story by Jessica Arbuckle (Jessi, Princess of Impatience)  
July 3rd - undetermined, 2005 

**Chapter Two, Safe at Last…**

She Apparated with a loud crack right outside of the gates. She swayed on her feet, tightly clutching her brother in one arm and the bag in her other hand. She belated wished she had given herself more opportunities to Apparate over long distances as she felt her vision grown dim. She hazily heard the sound of a silky voice say her name in surprise and felt arms closing around her before she collapsed.

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Severus stared down at the woman he had just gathered into his arms and felt his heart begin to pound erratically. He had not laid eyes on her in four years and he had not held her this close in… well, never.

His shock over having her in his arms was replaced by his worry and panic. He did not know why she was there, but she did not look at all well. Her gathered her up, briefly worrying even more over the fact she was barely any weight in his arms. She was thin, too thin to be healthy. His strides ate up the ground between the gate and the doors. He stopped, placing her feet on the ground for a moment to free one arm in order to pull open the heavy door. He then gathered her back into his arms and walked inside.

Inside, Minerva McGonagall was just crossing the hall. "Oh, good, Severus, I was just coming to see you… is that Hermione Granger?" she asked, startled, as she stared at the barefoot Muggle clothing clad woman in his arms.

He nodded sharply and sunk to the ground, shifting Hermione so she was propped against his chest and he could free one of his hands. Gazing at her, he could see some color returning to her cheeks and he felt a moment of relief as he gently pushed back her hair from her face. He turned his attention to pulling back the blanket of the bundle she carried. "As well as her brother," he said in surprise as he exposed the baby's face and looked him over. The boy seemed to be sleeping, so Severus once again turned his attention to Hermione.

"I'll go get Albus," Minerva said, and Severus nodded, his eyes never leaving Hermione's face as he quickly checked her pulse. He sighed with relief to find it only slightly faster than normal. Perhaps she was not ill and had just fainted.

"No need Minerva, I am here. And, I am relieved to see, so are our guests," Albus said, his eyes traveling to the still form of Hermione cradled against Severus's body, one of her arms still tightly clutched around the small form of her sleeping baby brother and the other, a brightly colored bag. He silently arched one eyebrow at Severus, who was still focused on Hermione, and then exchanged a knowing glance with Minerva.

"Severus, what does Miss Granger have in her hand?" he asked quietly, coming to crouch next to them. Severus wordlessly pulled the bag handle from her hand and handed it to Albus, finally meeting the headmaster's eyes.

At the look in Albus's eyes, Severus knew the pretense was over, if there had even been one with him. The man knew far more than he ever let on about and Severus had a suspicion the headmaster had known about his feelings for Hermione almost as soon as he himself had known. Now he knew why he had been chosen to be tonight's welcome committee. The old coot was on some kind of matchmaking scheme, he could tell. And, truth be told, for once in all the time he had known Albus, he did not care that he was a key figure in the scheme.

Albus opened the bag and removed the video camera, glancing at it curiously. "I believe this is one of those Muggle recording devices." He turned it over in his hand, looking for some way to turn it on.

At that point, Hermione awoke with a start, blinking her eyes rapidly as she immediately glanced down to the infant in her arms and then noticed the room she was in. Seeing her brother was safe and they were both in the entrance hall of Hogwarts, she began to cry softly, turning her face into the soft folds of fabric against her cheek. A hand stroked her hair as the person holding her rocked her gently. She was dimly aware it was a man, from the feel of his chest under her face. For the first time in a long time, she felt comforted, even safe, and she began to cry harder into the chest of the man holding her, not even caring whom it might be. All that she could think of was at last she and her brother were both safe.

"Hermione," a soft voice said next to her. It had not come from the person holding her and she tore her face from where it was buried to meet the eyes of Albus.

"Professor Dumbledore," she breathed. "You have to help me, sir," she pleaded. "I am going to be in so much trouble with the Ministry, but I had to do it, I had to save him."

"What happened?" another voice said, this time the sound rumbling in the chest she lay against.

"It was just awful," she began, looking up at the person who had comforted her when she cried. She stared in shock as her eyes connected with his. The person who had held her and comforted her as she had cried into his robes, that had caught her as she had fainted, and who was now looking down at her with naked concern in his eyes, was none other than Severus Snape.

Hermione closed her eyes, praying to faint.

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_a/n: I know it is just a short little bit of a chapter, but please R/R, I would just adore it!_


	3. A Strange New Man

_A/N: Here you go, hope you are enjoying this thus far! _

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from Harry Potter and you know the rest of the drill, don't you? 

Although, should you wish to buy me Severus, I would love you forever and ever.

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Unexpected Comfort  
Story by Jessica Arbuckle (Jessi, Princess of Impatience)  
July 3rd - undetermined, 2005

**Chapter Three, A Strange New Man…**

Severus watched her eyes close again and he panicked. "Hermione," he said roughly, slightly shaking her. "Don't faint again." 

"I didn't," came the low reply and he relaxed, the panic gone as fast as it had come. "But it wasn't from lack of trying," she muttered under her breath. 

Albus laughed softly at the comment as she once again made eye contact with Severus. She felt disconcerted at the look on his face and the fact he still held her tightly against him. The look in his eyes was once she could never image her cold and sarcastic former Potions professor ever having for anything, most of all herself. The dark depths were warm and he looked concerned and a bit anxious, even though she had felt him physically relax when she had replied to him. 

Matty awoke and began to cry, so she sat up away from Severus and he helped her to her feet before he released her, almost reluctantly. Her mind filed away the observation for later thought. She bounced her brother gently, making soft sounds to calm him. Looking up from him, she noticed Albus held the video camera in his hand. 

"That should explain why I am here and why I am going to be in so much trouble with the Ministry," she said to him. 

"Then you should play it for us," a feminine voice said behind her. She turned and saw Minerva and a smile broke out on her face. The older woman smiled back and gave her a brief hug before she held out her arms for Hermione's brother. Matty, who had stopped crying and was now gazing around with bright, interested eyes, gurgled up at Minerva as she talked softly to him. 

Albus handed the camera to Hermione and she turned it on, fiddling with some settings before handing it back to him. 

"You'll have to watch it one at a time," she said. "The screen is too tiny to watch it all at the same time." 

She looked on silently as Albus watched all that had happened. She could hear everything, even thought she could not see it, and she relieved the moments in her room. She closed her eyes and clutched her stomach at the nausea that swept over her at the thought of what the man had been doing to her brother without her knowing. If Matty had not cried… She hung her head and began to sob softly. She felt, rather than heard, someone approach and a hand settled on her shoulder. She let it rest there, too caught up in the events from a short time ago to wonder at the man who now stood beside her. The gesture was simply too out of character for her mind to even try to process it right now. 

Albus finished watching and handed the camera back to her with a solemn look. The bright twinkling of his eyes was dulled as he looked at her with compassion and pain. She knew, from years of watching and listening, that he felt the pain of those he looked after as strongly as if it were his own. She was touched that even after almost four years, she was still one of those people. She smiled faintly at him, trying for a brave face as she took the camera and rewound the tape. As it rewound, she looked to the man whose hand was still on her shoulder. 

"It needs to rewind first," she said softly. "You can watch it in a few seconds." 

Severus nodded and his hand tightened slightly on her shoulder. She met his gaze as she handed him the camera. Again, she felt a sense of comfort wash over her at his touch and presence, not the shock or awkwardness she would have been felt a few short years ago when faced with such a wildly different Severus Snape. Once again, his face was full of concern for her, although there was a deeper emotion that she suspected could be anger. She wondered briefly, as she hit play, what could be making him so angry. 

She watched his anger grow as he watched the scene on the video camera, as well as various other emotions she could not identify that crossed his face as he watched. Blocking the sounds this time, she used the free moments to truly examine the man before her. He seemed different in so many ways from the 'Professor Snape' she had known for eleven years, seven of which had exposed her to almost daily contact with him in one form or another. She would never have imagined that man comforting anyone, especially herself, and certainly would never expected him to be angry on her behalf. She felt like perhaps she was in some alternate place where nothing was the way it was supposed to be. 'Except that Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall are acting the 'normal' way,' she corrected herself mentally. The only one out of character was the pale, dark haired man before her. 

As the screen again went blank, she reached for it, but his long fingers were already deftly moving over the camera to rewind the tape as he turned and walked towards Minerva. When it finished, he hit the play button and held the camera up for her so she could watch it. 

"What was he doing?" Severus asked, his face looking angrily at the tape as it played again before he turned to look at Hermione. 

"He was attempting to molest him," she said bitterly, not meeting his eyes as she walked to Minerva and gently took back Matty from her. He watched her hug the infant closer to her body and saw a tear slip down her cheek. He felt his rage grow and he considered Apparating to the man and performing the Cruciatus Curse himself. 

He handed the camera to Minerva and came to Hermione's side. "Just say the word," he ground out, "and I'll take care of him permanently." 

She looked up, shocked by the strength of his anger. "No, Professor…" 

"Severus," he corrected, touching her arm. 

"Severus," she said, slowly drawing it out. It felt odd to call him by his given name. "I won't have you in trouble with me." 

"No one is in trouble," Albus said. "Hermione, even the Ministry would be hard pressed to fault you in your use of a minor hex in self defense, even against a Muggle. And no one will be visiting that house again except the Ministry," he said, leveling a stern look at Severus. 

"I will alert the Ministry to your whereabouts, but first you will both visit with Madame Pomfrey and then we will all go to bed. No need for them to visit you until tomorrow," he said. 

Hermione began to protest and Severus's hand, still on her arm, tightened. "Just do what he said Hermione… please?" he asked in a soft voice meant just for her. 

Her eyes widened and she nodded, too shocked over his 'please' to further object. She allowed him to guide her in the direction of the infirmary. 

Minerva approached Albus as they left. "Well, that was certainly… surprising," she said, looking at him above her spectacles. 

"Not surprising, my dear Minerva. Delayed for far too long, but not surprising. I have a feeling we may have ourselves a highly entertaining summer after all," he said with a smile, his eyes again twinkling. 

"What are you talking about Albus?" she asked sternly. 

"You'll see, my dear," he said as he led her in the direction of the infirmary.

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_a/n: You know the drill and you know that I like it! Please R/R, because, yes, I would just adore it!_


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